Sally-Ann Washtell-Blaise
We featured Festival Samaritans in our first joint meeting between BAFA and the AIF members, and at the Scottish Festivals’ Forum.
The Festivals Branch of Samaritans attend around 18 – 20 festivals a year, providing a 24 hour, non-judgemental, face to face listening service throughout the event. Recently, I attended a joint meeting between AIF and BAFA members, where I discussed some of the issues that festival crew members in particular can face, and a three step approach that will help improve what can be a stressful and hectic work environment…
Festivals are really intense, temporary worlds. Long hours, lots of expectation, public-facing pressure, and often very little rest. A lot of festival crews are moving from one show to the next all season long.
One of the biggest challenges, it seems to me, is that a lot of people aren’t asking for help. There is this kind of work-hard, play-hard culture. Obviously, it is changing. We talk about these things more and more. But it still doesn’t leave a lot of room for saying: “Actually, I’m struggling right now.”
And it can take you by surprise. Recently, I saw that really clearly myself. I direct an arts festival in Aberystwyth, and last weekend we lit up the castle with artwork projections for three nights. It’s something we’ve never done before and, by the second night, one of my team was starting to really struggle. He felt really exposed. He felt really responsible for everything. He was completely overwhelmed.
This is someone who is incredibly capable in all other environments, but it hit me that the environment for that event had completely challenged him in a way he wasn’t expecting, and I wasn’t expecting either. I was lucky that I could pick up on it, but a lot of people we’re working with at festivals — especially if they’re volunteers or first-timers — are being put into that intense environment without very much preparation.
So, how can you make a difference in these kinds of situations? I think it comes down to three things…
Firstly, pace it. Sleep when you can, eat properly, and then party afterwards. Practically, that means thinking about shifts – whether that’s in terms of shorter shifts or rotating roles. Because 12 hours standing alone guarding an entrance in the rain isn’t really a free ticket. That’s a bit of a sentence.
Second: spot it. We know a lot of crew members won’t turn up in a welfare tent. They don’t want other people to see them doing that. Actually, a lot of punters won’t either. Your average middle-aged guy who is panicking, has debts, is trying to enjoy himself at a festival and has all this going on in the back of his mind probably isn’t going to turn up at a mental health welfare tent either.
But they will chat to someone they trust, or someone who just asks them: “How’s it going?” So it’s about noticing each other. Spot who’s gone quiet. Spot who hasn’t stopped for 24 hours. Spot who’s not quite themselves. People don’t arrive on our sites as blank slates. They are bringing the whole of their lives with them, and that sits in the background of everything they do.
Finally: support it. You don’t have to be an expert. You just need to make it normal for your event. It’s normal to check in. It’s normal to say, “I’m not okay”. And it’s normal to take breaks.
The strength of our little Samaritans team is how we look after each other. It’s something any festival can build in, even in small ways, because punters will remember the magical festival. But your crew members will remember how it felt to make it.
Samaritans is available for anyone struggling to cope and provides a safe place to talk 24 hours a day. Phone: 116 123 or visit the Samaritans website.
Sally-Ann Washtell-Blaise is Deputy Director, Communications & Partnerships for the Festival Branch of Samaritans, which has volunteers at festivals all over the country every year to support audience and crew members. Anyone who would like Festival Samaritans to attend their show, or to support the charity generally, should contact [email protected].
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